Polish Hill crosswalk vigilante beats Pittsburgh to punch

Someone paints white lines at Melwood Ave. and Finland St.

A crosswalk vigilante has beaten Pittsburgh road crews to the punch -- and to the paint -- by marking crosswalks at what residents say is a dangerous intersection for pedestrians in the city's Polish Hill neighborhood.

One posted this message on a bulletin board at a nearby park: "Dear crosswalk vigilantes: Thank you!. You made my day."

City officials, however, aren't thrilled with the temporary solution.

Public Works director Rob Kaczorowski says crews were planning to install larger stop signs and paint crosswalks in a few weeks.

City officials had previously twice denied requests for crosswalks since 2009, claiming there wasn't enough pedestrian traffic to warrant them, before repeated requests from residents changed their mind.

Kaczorowski said he's never seen anyone take crosswalk painting into their own hands in his 32 years with the city.

"It's kind of crazy to do something like that," he said. "The person who did that would be part of the liability if there's an accident there."

But resident Mary Hughes said the vigilante with a paintbrush is characteristic of the cramped neighborhood known for its narrow streets and homey, working-class ethic.

"Polish Hill people are unique," Hughes said. "I'm proud of this neighborhood, of people who don't hesitate to do what's right."